


White

by TheLostLibran



Series: Flufftober 2020 [12]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-War, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:28:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27606293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLostLibran/pseuds/TheLostLibran
Summary: The difference between black and white is easy to tell. Once it is found, that is.Otherwise, the world is a shade of grey probabilities, misconceptions and tears.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom/Blaise Zabini, Seamus Finnigan/Dean Thomas
Series: Flufftober 2020 [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1945984
Kudos: 22





	White

**Author's Note:**

> Flufftober 2020 Day 12 prompt: White
> 
> There is an explanation to the ambiguous (sort of) summary in the story down here :)

If Harry slept on June 4th, he woke up early the next day. If he didn't, then he left early.

Harry liked to think it started as an innocent bit of flying before it spiralled into an impulsive and wild crest into the hills of Scotland. He would be lying, of course.

The sky was clear, the wind was cool and the clouds were white, fluffy, enticing. For a moment, Harry didn't want to go down. He could imagine what was going on.

Hermione, Ron and Ginny would track him on his map as Luna suggested they leave him until he's ready. Neville would be worried. Blaise, Pansy, Daphne and Millie would pretend they are not. But Draco? Harry no longer knew.

Hermione had told him more than once, 'Kissing isn't everything, Harry.'

'We love each other, Hermione. A lot. We both know that.'

'Sometimes, Harry,' Luna said, thoughtfully, 'we may be able to co exist with those we hate but not possibly live with those we love.'

Harry understood, from his own experience and Hermione's repeated affirmations, that it took more than mutual love to sustain a relationship. He, however, didn't know what was lacking in his own.

He wondered if that time he had been waiting for never came because they weren't meant to be. It was a depressing thought.

When Harry went back to the common room in the evening, he found Draco and Smith occupying the love seat next to the fireplace with tongues down each others' throats.

He was more surprised that they were there since he made sure to return at ten to eleven, fifty minutes past the time Draco had said they'd be leaving for the pub.

Neither realised they were being watched.

Harry ignored the pangs of hurt, jealousy and anger. He started to noiselessly make his way to his dorm when Smith was thrown off. Ginny lowered her wand, glaring furiously at Smith.

Pansy descended from behind Ginny, hair wild, expression so cold that Harry flinched as though hexed. Smith was still gathering his wits when Harry locked eyes with Draco, clutching his bouquet.

He inelegantly turned tail and ran back the way he came. His lungs burned for oxygen and his heart screamed in agony by the time he reached Hogsmeade. McGonagall was going to be angry. Yet, Harry apparated.

He spent the night in Godric's hollow, resting against his parents' gravestones and making a silent conversation with the stars and the moon. They shone as bright as a blinding white light, as though trying to hurt his eyes and make him squint. Trying to coax the tears out of him that stubbornly refused to fall.

Nevertheless, their presence was comforting. A stray Siberian Husky trotted up to Harry after a while. He ran his fingers through its fur for the rest of the night.

Ron and Hermione escorted Harry from Hogwarts gates the next afternoon, straight to the eighth year common room. Draco was on the couch, three wands keeping him in place.

Neville clapped his shoulder. ''M glad you're okay, Harry.'

Blaise, Pansy and Ginny moved away as Ron nudged Harry to the couch. Hermione cast a Muffliato. 'Do I have to make the first move?'

Neither Harry nor Draco replied.

Pansy rolled her eyes. 'Why did you kiss that tosser, Dray? Care to share?' Draco remained mute. Harry tried to figure out what was going on.

'You are not the kind who dumps people without telling them. From Harry's reaction, it's clear he didn't know. So what is it?' Hermione was trying to be quite patient.

'Did your boyfriend ever ghost you, Granger?' He said at last. 'No? On your birthday?'

'I didn't ghost you,' Harry retorted.

'It's bullshit that Potter didn't know, Granger. He made it abundantly clear in the weeks past that he no longer wants this. Us.'

Harry grew agitated. 'I never said that!'

'Your actions made it explicitly clear. You hardly spoke to me for 23 days. I noticed.' Draco still didn't face him. Harry saw red.

'Then you also surely noticed how much you spoke,' he scowled. It was getting ridiculous.

'I don't particularly like speaking when all that comes out of my boyfriend's mouth is Zach Smith this, Zach Smith that,' Draco scoffed.

'I should be saying that!' Harry cried, indignant. 'You two are attached at the hip!'

'And I certainly hate it when my supposed boyfriend doesn't even wish me on my 19th.'

Harry frowned. 'What?' He had left a note.

'Are you jealous that I got close to the guy you were trying to hit on? Is that what this is?'

Seven pairs of eyes blinked. Blaise deflated first. 'Oh, Draco!'

Harry felt the pieces slotting into their places. 'Is that why you kissed him? I left my map here. You saw me coming on it. That kiss was to provoke me, wasn't it?'

'Gryffindor wins the house cup?' Draco raised a lazy brow, body still tense and rigid.

Ron shook his head. 'This is what happens when you talk too much.'

Draco paid Ron no heed. 'I wanted to make my supposed boyfriend, who couldn't even get me a gift, suffer the sight of his crush being snogged by his ex.'

Harry was dumbfounded. 'You are not my ex,' he said weakly.

'Curiously, your crush seems to be taken with me,' Draco went on. 'He even managed to present me with a bunch of-'

'Dragon Lilies?' Harry cut in. Draco's mouth closed shut, as if only then realising. 'I hate Smith, Draco. I hated that you had time for him but not me. You behaved as if you didn't want this. You had time to play Snap before NEWTS but when I needed to talk to you, "personal things had to wait"? I was only giving you an easy out.'

'Ok, so you liked me and I failed to reciprocate? What kind of a person doesn't fight for his love, Potter?' Draco growled. He answered his own question, a moment later. 'The one who thinks he isn't worth it.'

That seemed to accurately sum up both of them. Everyone was of the same opinion apparently because no one spoke. Harry was lost in Zach Smith and dragon lilies. Draco looked like he was suffering from some conflicting inner monologue.

'But why didn't you wish me?' Draco asked, his voice weak, pleading, defeated, confused and petulant. He didn't care. 'No gifts either.'

Harry's resolve crumpled at Draco's desolate look. 'The flowers were mine,' he whispered. 'I left a note too.' He knelt before Draco, cupping his wet face in his palm. He distantly registered their friends leaving the bubble of Muffliato.

'I'm sorry,' Harry croaked. He conjured a bunch of white narcissus flowers. 'I didn't forget. I didn't ghost. Happy birthday, Draco.'

Draco twisted the stems in his hand. He looked sullen, sunken and sad. 'I'm sorry too.'

Late that night, white curtains billowed onto them as they lay on Draco's bed, basking in the quiet coolness of the full moon, visible from the window above the bed. Draco reached out to take Harry's hand in his.

'Objectively, I know that black, white and grey exist. But I can't differentiate them in reality. People were being nice for the first time. Their intentions, my actions and their consequences all got lost in translation.'

Harry listened attentively, stroking his thumb on Draco's knuckles. 'I'm sorry,' Draco repeated. 'When there's no light, one can't differentiate the colours.'

Harry hummed and sighed. His gaze was still on the moon determinedly playing hide and seek with him. Harry observed that the glow was a more muted white that day. He gave a tiny smile, kissed Draco's temples and burrowed into his blankets.

A white tail twitched at the foot of the bed.

'McGonagall may have your dog thrown out, Potter,' Draco murmured, throwing an arm around Harry.

'She won't. Sirius is very charming,' Harry replied, tugging Draco closer.

Draco snorted. 'I'm sure.' Sirius flicked his head up in their direction. He let out a low bark of disapproval, as if to remind them that he was there. Harry rubbed Sirius' belly with his toes to pacify him.

The night continued uninterrupted.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated.
> 
> I think it's the inclusion of Sirius that saved me from that horrid writer's black, tbh.


End file.
